The Little Will o' the Wisp
by albinotanuki
Summary: Merida finds a baby will o' the wisp in the woods and decides to take care of it.
1. Meeting Gorm

This is a bit of a strange concept, but I wanted to do a Merida story and this is what I came up with.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Brave_, Merida, or anything from the movie, just this story.

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I was out shooting my arrows in the glen while riding my horse, Angus. After shooting the last of my arrows, I rode back to retrieve them. I dismounted my horse and walked over to a tree that one of arrows got stuck in. As I pulled the arrow out, the bark got stripped and revealed a gaping hole in the tree where a little blue light glowed. I blinked my eyes in curiosity as the little blue stretched its tendrils and two big eyes stared right back at me.

"A will o' the wisp." I whispered, "My, yer the tinniest wisp I'd ever seen."

The little wisp floated up to my face. I didn't know whether or not it wanted me to follow it, but as I turned around it started following me. I turned again, and it was still following me.

"I think yer confused, little one. I'm suppose to follow you, not the other way around."

The little wisp just looked at me with its big eyes. I was getting a little worried as to what this wisp wanted. I got back on my horse and started to ride off, as the little wisp popped up in front of me. I rode faster on Angus trying to get away from the wisp, but he kept disappearing and reappearing right in front of me each time. Angus was spooked and threw me off his back and into the grass. As I tried sitting up with my soar bottom, the will o' the wisp appeared before me and I jumped back.

"What do you want from me?!"

The little will of the wisp floated up to me, wrapping its tendrils around my body and nuzzled its head up against my bosom. I looked down at the little wisp, not moving a muscle as I could feel my fear starting to slowly melt away. This was just nothing more than a wee baby wisp. Did it think I was it's mother? Was my destiny suppose to be looking after this little one as if it were my own? I sighed, realizing that this wisp was no harm and that I wasn't going to get rid of it.

"Alright then, I guess I'll have to give you a name. How about... Gorm?"

It popped its head up. It seemed to like that name.

"Alright Gorm, come with me then."

I scooped the wisp up in my hands, like holding mist in my hand it was, as I mounted my horse and started to ride slowly back home.

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So yeah, tell me what you think? Please R&R.


	2. Presenting Gorm to My Family

Here's chapter 2.

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I rode back home on my horse and put him in his stall. I walked into the kitchen as Gorm hid in my hair; Gorm seemed to like hiding in my hair.

"Good afternoon, Princess Merida." said Maudie as she was taking out pies from the oven.

Gorm popped out from my hair as if to greet her. Maudie's face turned white as a sheet as she saw the little blue light and ran out screaming. I rolled my eyes; everything makes Maudie scream in terror. Gorm flew back into my hair, shivering a bit as if Maudie had scared him as well.

"Oh don't mind Maudie; everything scares her." I scooped Gorm into my hand, "Now why don't we get you settled into my room."

I took Gorm up into my room, got out a doll's bed that I had since I was little, and made it up for Gorm to sleep in.

"There. Now I don't know if wisps sleep like human babies, but you now have a place to rest if you need it."

Gorm went over to the bed in curiosity, inspecting the covers and pillow that lay before him. That was when my mother called.

"Merida, its time for supper!"

I looked over at Gorm.

"Now Gorm, I need to go now. You stay in this room until I come back for ye."

As I got up, Gorm floated up to follow me.

"No Gorm. I don't want anyone else to get scared seeing you, so just wait here until I come back."

I closed the door behind me and went down stairs into the dining room where my family was sitting down to eat as dad was telling his story about his encounter with Mor'du.

"Merida, you haven't brought yer bow to the table." said my mum looking over at me with surprise.

"I just figured I'd try to stop that bad habit of putting my weapons on the table is all." I said as I grabbed some capon and started eating.

"If you could only slow down on eating, that would be a great improvement."

That was when the dogs started barking. I looked over and gasped seeing the dogs chasing Gorm who looked rather scared. I ran over, scooped Gorm up in my hand and jumped up on table to get Gorm away from the dogs.

"NO! BAD DOGS! STAY BACK!"

"WHAT IN BLUE BLAZES IS THAT?!" exclaimed my father, who seemed shocked to see me carrying a wisp in my hand.

I realized it was too late to try to cover it up, so I decided to tell the truth.

"This is a will o' the wisp; yes, Dad, they exist. His name is Gorm, he's taken me and his mother, and I plan to be there for him at all cost."

"Well now, lets have a look at him, shall we?" my mother asked to see him as my brothers gathered around her.

I decided there was no harm in letting my mother handle him, so handed Gorm over to her.

"Aww, such a wee baby, he is." my mother cooed.

That was when we all heard a loud growl coming from Gorm's stomach (I didn't even know wisps got hungry).

"Looks like someone needs his supper." said my mother.

"What are you going to feed it?" asked my father, "He's just a blue ball of light."

"Maybe it can have some capon."

I offered Gorm a bit of the chicken, but Gorm turned his head away from me.

"I think he needs what all babies need." my mother replied, "We need to get him some milk."

"But we don't even have a wet nurse." I said.

"No, but we do have cows that can give us milk. Merida, come with me and I'll show you how to feed him."

I followed my mother in the kitchen as we got some milk for Gorm. My mother held him in her hand as she dipped her fingers into the milk and let Gorm suckle on them.

"Now Merida, you need to feed him once every hour while he's awake."

"Once every hour? But that's a lot of work."

"Well, that's what being a mother is like. I remember how much of a handful you and yer brothers were when they were babies and this is no different."

"But you'll be able to help me if I need it, right?"

"Of course. After all, he IS my grandson now."

After Gorm had his fill, he yawned, stretching his tendrils and started to curl up in my mother's hand.

"Here, you take him." said my mother handing him over to me, "He's your baby after all."

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That's chapter 2. Please R&R.


	3. Finding Gorm

third chapter

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I got rather tired from looking after Gorm. From feedings and burping (Will o' the wisps burp. Who knew?), my body could barely keep up with the little wisps demands. I held Gorm in my hand, patting its back, rocking it, as he wailed.

"Please go to sleep. I need mine too."

Why did I ever take up this responsibility? I thought taking care of a wisp would be easy, but it was proving much harder than I had ever imagined. That was when my mother came in through the door.

"Need any help?"

"Yes!" I cried out.

"Here, I'll look after the wee babe. My baby needs her sleep too."

"Oh, thank you!" I said handing Gorm over to my my mother before landing into bed; my mother is a real life saver, she is.

I don't recall how long I slept for, but it seemed like a long time. I woke up in the middle of the day and looked over at the doll bed expecting to find Gorm asleep, except that the bed was empty. I got up and went to my mother's room, hoping she was looking after him, when instead I saw her embroidering.

"Mum, have you seen Gorm around anywhere?"

"Last I've seen him, I put him in yer doll bed and he fell fast asleep."

Fear started to creep into my mind at that moment. I couldn't help bare the thought that something awful had happened to Gorm. Suddenly, I heard a crash. My heart raced as I started running through the halls.

"GORM!"

I ran as fast as I could. That was when I saw Maudie screaming and running the other direction, which gave me the clue to go into the kitchen. There and behold, there were my three brothers grabbing pies and with them was Gorm looking rather guilty.

"Gorm, I found you!", I scooped Gorm up into my hand and turn to my brothers, "You three are a BAD influence."

I walked out of the kitchen with Gorm in my hand.

"You had me worried sick, you know."

Gorm looked down as if to say he was sorry.

"I'm not mad at you, I just wanted you to be safe is all."

I patted little Gorm. He seem to perk up a little as he floated up and hid in my hair.

"Oh, you want to play hide and seek, do ye?"

I started chasing the little devil around in my hair with my hand until my hair was one big mess.

"Gotcha!"

I heard a little squeaky giggle from the little wisp which made me giggle too. It was amazing that such a wee thing could make me feel so happy.

"I'll always be there for you."

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That's chapter 3. Please R&R


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